Switching contacts for vacuum interrupters, which switching contacts include a switching contact carrier and a contact plate or contact disk, are known from the prior art. In particular, it is known that the switching contact carrier has a coil segment for generating a magnetic field, wherein this coil segment is formed by making slots in the lateral surround of a pot-like contact carrier.
Contact arrangements of this kind are known from EP 0104384 B1 and EP 0155376 B1.
Either a radial or an axial magnetic field is generated depending on the orientation of the coil segments of contact arrangements of this kind in relation to one another.
Arrangements of this kind with an axial magnetic field in particular are relevant for high-voltage applications. The slot arrangements of the coil segments of the contact carriers in the two contacts are oriented in the same direction for the purpose of generating an axial magnetic field.
In order to prevent the contact disks from settling, that is to say sinking, in switching contacts for vacuum interrupters, it is known from the prior art to provide supporting bodies.
For example, DE 3231593 A1 discloses a supporting body of this kind for a switching contact.
Furthermore, it is known from WO 2006003114 A2 that a supporting body can also be provided on the outer circumference of the switching contact carrier. Although a structure of this kind helps to improve the performance, it does not provide any protection against sinking of the contact disk.